1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic flash units for use in photography, and is more particularly concerned with a small and light-weight flash head that is easily adapted to a wide variety of lighting applications.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Electronic flash units for use in flash photography are well developed and widely used. There are small units built into cameras, and there are small units to be mounted on, or used with, cameras. These small units have commensurately small light output, and are used mostly by amateur photographers and "snapshot" photographers. There are larger flash units designed to be portable, but having sufficient light output for professional photographers in fields such as wedding photography, news photography and the like. Such units are quite large and rather unwieldy, but provide the needed light in a portable package.
For the photographer who sets up elaborate lighting systems, whether in the studio or on location, the current electronic flash unit comprises a relatively large metal housing having a built-in electronic flash head, and a flash tube with a predetermined light pattern. Since most lights have a dedicated application, the photographer must have a variety of lights, one or more for each lighting situation. This means that a photographer setting up on location must bring with him each type of light head required. In general, no light can be substituted for another because the light quality or pattern is fixed, and the housings for the lights are fixed. It will be understood that the relatively large housing for the electronic flash unit has been necessary because of the high voltages required to operate the light; and, heavy metal has been used to protect the tube and the electronic circuitry.